one of my very favorite gifts to give (and get!) are books. they’re timeless gifts that aren’t trendy, have no expiration date and stay treasured friends forever. there’s nothing quite like gifting a beautiful coffee table book that someone might not want to splurge on for themselves, or passing along one of your favorite cookbooks or an unforgettable novel that meant something special to you. i always try and give my young nieces a great book (or two) each year, and friends, too. i thought i’d share a few of my favorite gift book ideas with you and some of what i think are some of the best books around, including eva jorgensen’s gorgeous and inspired Paris by Design: An Inspired Guide to the City’s Creative Side for all the francophiles in your life.

i’ve also included some of my fav books from chronicle books — they’re having their annual friends and family sale where you can take 35% off all books plus free ground shipping. Just use the code GIVEBOOKS at checkout — their sale is on through December 25th. if you happen to have pals who grew up in the seventies as i did, Silver. Skate. Seventies. by Hugh Holland is a never-before-published collection of over 100 of Holland’s black-and-white photos of the Southern California skateboarding scene of the 1970s that’s just walk down memory lane for me. here are a few more ideas from chronicle, including (ahem!) my very own See San Francisco.

above, clockwise, l to r: Delicious Metropolis The Desserts and Urban Scenes by Wayne Thiebaud; Home Style by City By Ida Magntorn — Ideas and Inspiration from Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, and Copenhagen; san francisco’s beloved cafe has a cookbook that’s as pretty as it is delicious, Tartine A Classic Revisited By Elisabeth Prueitt & Chad Robertson; Silver. Skate. Seventies. by Hugh Holland; See San Francisco Through the Lens of SFGirlbyBay by me; Gjelina Cooking from Venice, California By Travis Lett — one of my very favorite l.a. restaraunts; and Plenty Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi By Yotam Ottolenghi — i return to this cookbook over and over again for some delicious vegetable and vegetarian recipes.

i’d be seriously remiss if i didn’t include my design guru leanne ford’s new book, written with her brother and creative cohort, steve ford — Work in Progress: Unconventional Thoughts on Designing an Extraordinary Life (above). i’m so excited to get my hands on that one (hint, hint if anyone’s got me on their gift list).

above, clockwise, l to r: Floral Libations by Cassie Winslow looks like a very festive hostess gift, just perfect for the season; my favorite coffee table book is a must-have for all wes anderson fans, THE WES ANDERSON COLLECTION: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL BOOK by Matt Zoller Seitz; i’ve gifted Nina Freudenberger’s inspiring decor book, Surf Shack: Laid-Back Living by the Water several times and never gone wrong — it’s still one of my favorite design books; another new one i’m interested in adding to my collection is New York Design At Home by Anthony Iannacci and Noe DeWitt; another new book this year that’s also become a go-to design resource for me is creative couple Serena Mitnik-Miller and Mason St. Peter’s Abode: Thoughtful Living with Less; and Surf Like A Girl by Carolina Amell seems like the ideal gift for any women in your life with a desire to learn to surf.

The post good reads: my favorite gift. appeared first on sfgirlbybay.

• Woollahra Courtyard House by CO-AP.
• The Moment of Suspension by Jose Dávila at König Galerie, Berlin.